![The Harbinger: The Ancient Mystery That Holds the Secret of America's Future [Book]](clip_image001.jpg)
The
Harbinger (A Review)
Recently I was asked why I
found “The Harbinger” problematic.
“The
Harbinger” written by Jonathan Cahn is a New York Times best seller and is
accompanied by a companion DVD. The DVD is notes as “The #1 Christian
Documentary of 2012”
I
have reviewed the book and DVD. Here is a
very
short answer to the question.
Jonathan Cahn makes a
compelling presentation that really gets a person’s attention. However, applying
a text that directly relates to Israel, and was fulfilled historically, does not
provide a solid case for application to America. He stretches and maneuvers
facts to a degree that is inconsistent with good hermeneutical handling of
prophecy and fulfillment.
Example: Cahn applies the Israeli declaration “The bricks have fallen but we
will rebuild with hewn stones” to the builders of the Freedom Tower in New York
City. Did the builders of the Freedom Tower rebuild the Trade Towers with hewn
stones
or did they put a hewn stone at the ground zero location as a memorial?
Suggesting this is a direct or secretive fulfillment of prophecy is a stretch at
best.
Cahn
claims that the first “Harbinger” is that the walls of America were breached. He
said this occurred on September 11, 2001. However, this was not the first time
the walls of America were breached…
Are
we called to believe that the former activities aimed at the destruction of
America were also related to Cahn’s “secret message/interpretation” hermeneutic?
If so, what did we miss in failing to interpret them correctly in the past? Why
is this event “secretly hidden” in the Bible and not the others? Are there
secret messages like this one for China, Russia, Canada?
Why
America?
I do
think that the point by point “Harbingers” he points to provide an interesting
pattern. It is compelling and it does get a person’s attention. However, it does
not fit the kind of literal interpretive model I’m comfortable with. I do agree
with him that America is in trouble and needs to repent. However, Cahn says that
“
Cahn
suggests that if
Christians in America repent of their sins then God
will heal our
land. This is a clever way out for him (and for others who
make these kinds of claims). i.e. If Christians in America don’t repent then God
is not required to heal our land. I would ask, how many Christians have to
repent? All? Some? This is far to problematic to address here as it would
involve considerable evaluation and examination through the lens of soteriology
and eschatology. Is God holding America accountable for the sins of Christians
whom Cahn claims are the “My people” of
It seems that Cahn is mingling a functional from of Covenant style Theology with his Dispensational views. This is a common problem in many churches today.
In short, The Harbinger is
interesting but as a Theological/Eschatological/Soterioligical thesis it
has
dangerous fruit.
“If My people who are called by My
name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their
wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal
their land.”
“My people” in the context of the passage refers to Israel. If we apply this principle to any other group we have problems.
Example: If “My People” refers to Christians in America then we have to draw several conclusions.
1) “My People” Is the Church in America
2) “…will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways…”
Suggests that God’s people are engaged in pride, prayerlessness and wickedness; which may be true of some, but not all.
3) “I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin.”
Suggests that God will listen to Christians and forgive their sins only if they humble themselves, pray, seek His face and stop sinning in order to be forgiven. It would also suggest that the sins of Christians is not once for all forgiven but that Christians would have to continually humble themselves, pray, seek His face and stop sinning in order to be or remain forgiven.
“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in
time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us
by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made
the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His
person, and upholding all things by the word of His power,
when He had by Himself purged our sins,
sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…” (
4) “heal their land.”
Suggests that God is committed to the land of
America and that He will heal the land of drought, plague and pestilence. (See
Questions: For Thought
Has God ever said anywhere in the Scriptures that He is committed to America like He is to Israel?
Has God (in the Church Age) ever healed a land because the Christians in the land stopped sinning?
What form of healing are we referring to
if not as stated in
Is there any prophecy of Scripture that says that God will heal any land but Israel?
Has any “group” of Christians ever stopped sinning?
Will God heal America if all Christians stopped sinning and the unregenerated still continue sinning?
Will all Americans ever stop sinning?
Is God holding America accountable for the sins of Christians?
Will this rule apply to any other country? Canada? China? Russia?
Will it work in a city? San Francisco? Damascus?
Will the
Paul D. Van Noy, Pastor
Candlelight Christian
Fellowship
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho